U.S. patent number 6,519,792 [Application Number 09/871,955] was granted by the patent office on 2003-02-18 for electric reciprocating system for baby carriage.
Invention is credited to Cheng-I Chen.
United States Patent |
6,519,792 |
Chen |
February 18, 2003 |
Electric reciprocating system for baby carriage
Abstract
Electric reciprocating system for baby carriage, which is
combined with external power source and carriage locating guide
rail to simulate manually back and forth pushing/pulling movement.
The system includes a base board, locating guide rail, two wheel
guide rail gauge adjustment mechanisms and locking mechanism to
form a linear moving path of the baby carriage. The driving unit
includes a DC servomotor, a belt driving mechanism and a
controlling circuit board for controlling and adjusting and the
travel and speed. In cooperation with the driving pin and the
linking ring fixed on the baby carriage rear beam, the system
provides a reciprocating power for the baby carriage without
power.
Inventors: |
Chen; Cheng-I (Yun-Lin Hsien,
TW) |
Family
ID: |
21669049 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/871,955 |
Filed: |
June 4, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jun 9, 2000 [TW] |
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089210034 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/109; 5/107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B
9/22 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62B
9/00 (20060101); B62B 9/22 (20060101); A47D
009/02 (); B62B 009/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;601/51,98,99,116
;5/105-109 |
Primary Examiner: Trettel; Michael F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A reciprocating motion system for a baby carriage comprising: a
base board having first and second opposed ends, a latch button
groove being formed in said first end, said base board forming
inner and outer guide rail mounting boards, said inner and outer
guide rail mounting boards being fixedly secured each to the other
by a locking plate and a locking screw and each having a rack
driving guide slot formed therethrough; an inner wheel guide rail
gauge adjustment mechanism mounted on said inner guide rail
mounting board for selectively adjusting rail size, and inner wheel
guide rail gauge adjustment mechanism having a pair of inner racks
mounted thereon, each of said inner racks have a toothed engaging
edge; an outer wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanism mounted
on said outer guide rail mounting board for selectively adjusting
rail size, said outer wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanism
having a pair of outer racks mounted thereon, each of said outer
racks having a toothed engaging edge; an inner pinion mounted on
said inner guide rail mounting board, said inner pinion engaging
said toothed engaging edges of said inner racks, said inner pinion
driving said inner racks in opposite directions, said inner pinion
being secured to said inner guide rail mounting board by an inner
screw and an inner washer; an outer pinion mounted on said outer
guide rail mounting board, said outer pinion engaging said toothed
engaging edges of said outer racks, said outer pinion driving said
outer racks in opposite directions, said outer pinion being secured
to said outer guide rail mounting board by an outer screw and an
outer washer; a pair of adjustment wing boards being mounted on
opposing ends of each of said inner and outer wheel guide rail
gauge adjustment mechanisms, respectively, each of said adjustment
wing boards have a connecting pin projecting beneath a lateral side
thereof, each of said connecting pins being respectively received
by said rack driving guide slots of said inner and outer guide rail
mounting boards and by a retaining hole formed through each of said
pairs of respective inner and outer racks, said pairs of adjustment
wing boards being selectively spaced apart dependant upon wheel
spacing of a baby carriage; inner and outer locating guide rails,
each of said guide rails having a U-shaped groove formed therein,
and U-shaped groove defining a U-shaped recessed contact surface,
said U-shaped grooves receiving respective wheels of said baby
carriage, said inner and outer locating guide rails being fixedly
secured to said inner and outer adjustment wing boards,
respectively, by respective guider rail connecting screws, each of
said inner and outer locating guide rails having a pair of latch
buttons mounted thereon, said latch buttons engaging said latch
button grooves to secure said inner and outer locating guide raise
at a desired position; a driving housing being secured to said base
board by a locking screw, a driving slot being formed through said
driving housing; a DC motor being received within said driving
housing, said DC motor having an output shaft projecting therefrom;
a driving toothed pulley being mounted on said output shaft of said
DC motor; a driven toothed pulley being mounted on a driven shaft
within said driving housing, said driven shaft having ball bearings
formed on opposed ends thereof; a toothed belt mechanically linking
said driving toothed pulley to said driven toothed pulley; a
driving slide block having upper and lower block members fixedly
secured each to the other by a locking screw, an upper side of said
toothed belt being secured between said upper and lower block
members, a pair of linear ball bearings being received in said
lower block member, said linear ball bearings being positioned
symmetrically at opposing ends of said lower block member, a
driving pin projecting from said upper block member and passing
through said driving slot of said driving housing; a pair of guide
rod fixing seats being received within said driving housing; a pair
of guide rods being positioned between said guide rod fixing seats
and fixedly secured thereto, said driving slide block being
slidably mounted to said pair of guide rods; a controlling circuit
board in electrical communication with said DC motor; a speed
adjustment panel in electrical communication with said controlling
circuit board, said speed adjustment panel allowing a user to
control power output of said DC motor; an external auxiliary beam
being mounted on a rear frame of said baby carriage, said external
auxiliary beam having a linking ring being mounted thereon, said
linking ring engaging said driving pin to reciprocally drive said
baby carriage; a pushcard seat having an upper retaining surface
and an inner linking fitting hole formed therethrough, said inner
linking fitting hole receiving said driving pin, an adjustment
slide slot being formed through said upper retaining surface; front
and rear wheel ball bearing seats being mounted on said pushcart
seat; front and rear wheel shafts being received and held by said
respective front and rear wheel ball bearing seats; sets of front
and rear wheels being respectively mounted to said front and rear
wheel shafts, said front and rear wheels engaging said locating
guide rails; front and rear stop blocks being mounted on said upper
retaining surface of said pushcart seat, said front and rear stop
blocks being positioned at opposed edges of said upper retaining
surface, said front stop block having a front locking button
mounted thereto, said front locking button being received by said
adjustment slide slot, said front stop block being adjustably
positioned with respect to said rear stop block, said front and
rear stop blocks securing said wheels of said baby carriage
therebetween.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to an electric reciprocating
system for a baby carriage. An external power source, not directly
mounted on the baby carriage, cooperates with a specific locating
guide rail to move the baby carriage back and forth along a linear
path for domestically taking care of a baby.
A conventional baby carriage generally is not equipped with any
power source. Alternatively, a power supply may be mounted on the
main body of the baby carriage. With respect to the former, it is
laborious to use the baby carriage outdoors. With respect to the
latter, it is less strenuous to use the baby carriage outdoors.
However, when used indoors, the function of the baby carriage is
still impractical.
When using the baby carriage indoors, a baby is generally placed in
the baby carriage, which is then pushed and pulled back and forth
to help the baby to fall asleep. Such reciprocating movement is
monotonous and laborious and it is impossible to take care of other
things when pushing and pulling the baby carriage back and forth.
Therefore, it is necessary to develop an electric baby carriage
which can be more conveniently used to save energy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to
provide an electric reciprocating system for a baby carriage. An
external power source is added to the baby carriage to save
strength. The power source cooperates with a specific locating
guide rail with an adjustment rail gauge to move the baby carriage
back and forth.
The present invention can be best understood through the following
description and accompanying drawings herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective assembled view of the structure of the
present invention (direct driving);
FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the main units of the
present invention;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are perspective view and partially sectional view
showing the operation principle of the rail gauge adjustment
mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows the operation principle of the driving unit;
FIG. 5 shows the structure of the pushcart; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective assembled view of the structure of the
present invention (indirect driving).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 6. The present invention includes five
units, that is, a base seat unit 1, a locating guide rail unit 2, a
driving unit 3, a baby carriage rear beam connecting unit 4 and a
pushcart unit 5.
The present invention is driven in two different ways, as
follows:
1. Direct driving: the power source directly drives the baby
carriage to move back and forth (with reference to FIG. 1); and
2. Indirect driving: the power source drives a specifically
designed platform cart which further drives the baby carriage to
move back and forth (with reference to FIG. 6).
The assembly and function of the respective units are as
follows:
The base seat unit 1 is composed of a based board 11, a latch
button grove 12, two wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanisms
13, a locking plate 15 and a locking screw 16. A locating guide
rail unit 2, the wheel guide rail gauge mechanisms 13 and a housing
of the driving unit 3 are mounted and locked on the base seat unit
1.
The locating guide rail unit 2 is composed of a locating guide rail
21, a guide rail connecting screw 22 and a guide rail latch button
23. The locating guide rail unit 2 serves to linearly guide the
wheels of the baby carriage when the carriage is directly
driven.
The driving unit 3 is composed of a driving housing 31, locking
screw 32, DC servomotor 33, controlling circuit board 34, speed
adjustment panel 35 and belt transmission mechanism 36. The driving
unit 3 serves to supply power for the baby carriage and adjustment
operation properties (including travel and speed).
The rear beam connecting unit 4 is composed of an external
auxiliary beam 41 and linking ring 42. The rear beam connecting
unit 4 serves to transmit power from the driving unit 3 to the
powerless baby carriage.
The pushcart unit 5 is composed of a pushcart seat 51, a front
wheel assembly 52, rear wheel assembly 53, adjustable front stop
block 54, locking button 55, fixed rear stop block 56 and
adjustment slide slot 57. The pushcart unit 5 serves to retain and
fix the baby carriage when indirectly driven.
As shown in FIG. 1, the baby carriage is movable, back and forth,
along a fixed straight line by means of the locating guide rail 21
mounted on the base board 11. The wheel guide rail gauge adjustment
mechanism 13 is mounted on the adjustment wing board 131 and
cooperates with gears and racks to adjust the rail 21 to a position
suitable for the wheel gauges of various types of baby carriages.
After adjustment, by means of the guide rail latch button 23 and
the cooperative latch button groove 12, the locating guide rail 21
can be locked.
The base board 11 is divided into front and rear blocks connected
by a locking plate 15 and locking screw 16. A power source, that
is, the driving unit 3, is mounted on the base board 11. The
housing 31 and the entire internal mechanism of the driving unit 3
are locked on the face of the base board 11 by locking screw 32. A
driving pin 365 project from the opening of the upper side of the
housing for driving the baby carriage. Through the external
auxiliary beam 41 and the linking ring 42 mounted on the rear frame
of the baby carriage, the driving pin 356 is fitted in the linking
ring 42. At this time, the wheels of the baby carriage are
accommodated in the U-shape recessed face of the locating guide
rail 21 and can be truly reciprocally driven. This is the aforesaid
direct driving.
FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the present invention,
including the base seat unit 1, locating guide rail unit 2 and the
driving unit 3. The base seat unit 1 includes the base board 11 and
the two-wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanism 13, which will
be further described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.
The base board 11 is divided into inner guide rail mounting board
111 and outer guide rail mounting board 112. The former includes an
inner wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanism 13 positioned on
an inner side. The latter includes an outer wheel guide rail gauge
adjustment mechanism 13 positioned on an outer side (with reference
to FIGS. 3A and 3B). Left and right sides of the inner and outer
wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanisms 13 are locked by upper
and lower locking plates 15 and two locking screws 16.
The adjustment wing board 131 of the inner wheel guide rail gauge
adjustment mechanisms 13 passes through the rack driving guide slot
134 to couple with the rack 133 disposed on the inner wheel guide
rail mounting board 111.
The adjustment wing board 131 of the outer wheel guide rail gauge
adjustment mechanism 13 also passes through the rack driving guide
slot 134 to couple with the rack 133 disposed in the outer wheel
guide rail mounting board 112.
With regard to the locating guide rail unit 2, the locating guide
rail 21 of the locating guide rail unit 2 is divided into inner and
outer locating guide rails 211, 212. The former is mounted on the
adjustment wing board 131 of the inner wheel, while the latter is
mounted on the adjustment wing board 131 of the outer wheel. Both
are locked by guide rail connecting screws 22.
Via the adjustment wing boards 131, the inner and outer locating
guide rails 211, 212 are respectively pushed/pulled inwardly or
outwardly to the correct wheel gauge. Then, by means of the guide
rail latch button 23 and the cooperate latch button groove 12, the
inner and outer locating guider rails 211, 212 can be independently
positioned.
The housing 31 of the driving unit 3 is locked on the base board 11
by locking screw 32, with the driving pin 365 projecting therefrom,
to drive the baby carriage. The driving device, mainly formed of
the belt transmission mechanism 36, is accommodated in the housing
31, as shown in FIG. 4.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show the operating principle of the wheel guide
rail gauge adjustment mechanism 13, in which the inner and outer
wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanisms 13 have identical
structure and operational principles and are denoted by the same
numerals. Therefore, the inner wheel guide rail gauge adjustment
mechanism 13 is exemplified herein. The inner wheel guide rail
gauge adjustment mechanism 13 is an opposite movable mechanism in
which a pinion 132 is used to drive the symmetrical racks 133, on
both sides, to move in opposite direction. In actual operation, the
adjustment wing boards 131, at opposing ends, are adjusted at the
same time to synchronously move inwardly or outwardly.
The precision of adjustment is variable in accordance with the
space (or the pitch) of the teeth of the gear or the rack. The
connecting pin 137 on the lower side of the adjustment wing board
131 passes through the rack driving guide slot 134 to connect with
the coupling holes 138 on both sides of the rack 133.
The pinion 132 is a gear, the bottom end of which has a flange for
supporting and preventing the rack 133 from suspending due to its
own weight or eccentric load in longitudinal transmission. Also,
the outer sides (the ends without any teeth) of the racks 133 near
the center of the pinion 132 are prevented by the flange in the
base board 11 from transversely displacing, whereby the racks 133
are properly in contact with the pinion 132.
The pinion 132 is rotatable about the screw 135 locked on the base
board 11. A washer 136 is disposed between the pinion 132 and the
screw 135 for increasing the bearing area so as to reduce wearing
of the flange face of the bottom of the pinion 132 and the
retaining face of the screw.
The outer wheel guide rail gauge adjustment mechanism 13 has the
same structure and operating principle as the inner wheel guide
rail gauge adjustment mechanism 13.
With regard to the driving unit 3, FIG. 4 shows the operating
principle of the driving unit 3, which is enclosed by housing 31.
The driving unit 13 has three main sections, that is:
1. power section, mainly formed of a DC servomotor 33 (including
reducing mechanism);
2. controlling section, including controlling circuit board 34 and
speed adjustment panel 35; and
3. mechanism section, mainly formed of the belt driving mechanism
36.
First, in the power section, the DC servomotor 33 serves to
generate low rotational speed and high torque for driving the
transmission mechanism in the driving unit 3.
Second, in the controlling section, the controlling circuit board
34 utilizes a digital control mode to achieve adjustment of travel
and speed by means of the speed adjustment panel 35 to meet the
requirements of the user.
Finally, in the mechanism section, the belt driving mechanism 36 is
the center of the entire driving unit 3. The driving toothed pulley
361 receives power from the output shaft of the DC servomotor 33
and the driving pin 365 transmits the power to the baby
carriage.
The driving toothed pulley 361 is directly mounted on the output
shaft of the DC servomotor 33. The driven toothed pulley 362 is
mounted on the driven shaft 3610. Two ends of the shaft are
provided with ball bearings 369, as retainers.
The driving slide block 364 and the left and right symmetric guide
rods 367 form a linear sliding path, that is, the driving slide
block 364 is slidable along the guide rods 367 in one dimension.
Two ends of the guide rods 367 are connected with guide rod fixing
seats 368. The driving slide block 364 is divided into upper and
lower blocks. The upper block is connected with the driving pin
365, while a linear ball bearing 366 is disposed in each of the two
ends of the lower block. The upper and lower blocks are mated with
each other to define a recess in which the toothed belt 363 is
fastened and clamped. The upper and lower blocks are locked by
locking screw 32. The driving slide block 364 actually receives the
power from the toothed belt 363 and stably slides along the guide
rods 367 through the linear ball bearings 366. By means of the
driving pin 365, the reciprocal driving operation is achieved.
FIG. 5 shows the pushcart unit 5 in which the inner and outer
wheels of the front and rear wheels 522, 532, respectively, accord
with the seat wheel gauges of the inner and outer wheel locating
guide rails 211, 212.
The left and right wheels of the front wheel assembly 52 share
front wheel shaft 521. However, in order to lower the center of
gravity of the carriage seat main body 511 and ensure safety, with
the diameter of the wheel reduced and the height of the wheel shaft
lowered, the wheel shaft is independently designed, that is, each
side has a rear wheel 531. Accordingly, when driven, the rear wheel
shaft 531 will not touch the housing 31.
The front and rear wheel shafts 521, 531 are respectively retained
by front and rear wheel ball bearing seats 513 and 514.
A shaft-shaped linking fitting hole 512 is formed on the inner wall
of the top section of the carriage seat main body 511 for assembly
and linkage to the driving pin 365 and the pushcart unit 5.
Referring to FIG. 6, the wheels on the bottom of the pushcart unit
5 cooperate with the locating guide rail 21 to linearly move back
and forth. The baby carriage is retained on the top platform. On
the other hand, in order to more stably reset the baby carriage on
the pushcart unit 5, the top is provided with adjustable front stop
block 54, whereby the front and rear wheels of the baby carriage
are limited between the front and rear stop blocks 54, 56.
When adjusted, the rear wheels of the baby carriage must be
initially pushed to rearwardly abut against the fixed rear stop
block 56. Then, the adjustable front stop block 54 is adjusted and
moved along the adjustment slide slot 57 until tight abutment
against the front wheels is achieved. Then, the locking button 55
is turned tight to complete the positioning of the baby
carriage.
The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present
invention, and are not intended to limit the scope there. Many
modifications of the above embodiments can be made without
departing from the spirit of scope of the present invention.
* * * * *